Method of electrolytically treating straw or other fibrous material



Nd. s|s,|3s. Patented 0%,20, I898.

a. u, POND.-

METHOD OF ELECTROLYT-GALLY TREATING STBAW 0B OTHER F l (Application med July 9, 1897.)

BRO'US'MATERIAL;

(No Model.)

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- METHOD or ELECTROLYTICALLYY TREATING 'STRAW ORVOTHERI serous MATEHiAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no, 616,139, dated December 20, 1898. Application filed July 9, 1897- Serial No. 643,9 (No model.)

To all} whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GOLDSB'UR IIARDEN POND,'-a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashburnham, county of Vorcester, State of lllassachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvem cuts in Methods of Treating Straw or other Fibrous Material; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to an improved method of treating fibrous material for the manufacture of paper-pulp by electrolytically decomposing a solution of chlorid of sodium in the presence of calcium hydrate and then sub jecting said material to the action of the resultan't solution.

In electrolytically decomposing a' solution of chlorid of sodium large quantities of chlorin are set free, which escape to the atmosphere and render it Very disagreeable and dangerous to the workmen employed. This objection is obviated by my invention, and

such free chlorin, which has hitherto been wasted, is saved and utilized. i

In the accompanying drawings, which show an apparatus for carrying my invention into effect, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View; Fig. 2, a horizontal section, and Fig. 3 a similar View of the inner shellor cylinder. In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates a cylindrical tank of wood or other suitable material and of any suitable dimensions, and 2 an inner shell, which may also be made of wood, consisting of an open-ended cylinder concentric with said tank and formed at top and bottom with a number of circulation-ports 3. The space between said tank and shell forms a decompositionchamber, and journaled cent-rally in the bottom of the tank is a vertical shaft 4, provided with a pulley 5 and belt (1-, by which it may be r0 tated from any suitable motor. Secured to the lower end of said shaft is a screw '7 for causing a circulation and mixing of the liquid or solution in the tank and shell. Located on the upper end of the tank is a conducting-ring 8, connected by a conductor 9 with thepositive pole of a dynamo or other source of electric supply. A similar ring 10 is located on the upper end of the shell, connected by conductor 12 with-the negative pole of the dynamo.- Numerals 13 and Lt designate electrodes, such as carbon, provided with hooks 15, which engage with said ring.

The operation is as follows: The tank is about half filled with milk of lime, made by slakingcommon caustic lime with water and thinning down to the proper consistency.

The tank is then filled up with a saturated solution of chlorid of sodium. A current at electricity is now passed through the wellmixed solution, the screw being set in motion,

so as to kcepup a consta circulation of the solution in the tank and well through. the

' decomposing-chamber, Zihechloridof sodium will now be decomposed, lar e quantities of chlorin being set free, a part of which willcombinewith a part of the calcium hydrate, the resultant being a solution of hypochlorite of sodium, hypochlorite of calcium, and chlorid'of sodium and uncombined calcium hy drate. lhe operation is then stopped and the calcium hydrate allowed to settle and the solution of hypochlorite of sodium, hypochlorite of calcium, and ohlorid of'sodiurndrawn off into a tank containing straw or other material to be treated. It is then brought to the boiling-pointand the straw subjected tc its action until disintegration of the same is effected. The solution after having once been used is not thrown away, but is drawn out into a tank provided therefor and allowed to settle; The solution is then pumped back into the decomposing-tank containing the 'uncombined calcium hydrate and again subjected to the electrical current, after having been reinforced by the addition of more chlorid of sodium, and'is thus worked over and over again.

Having thus fully described my invention,

.what I claim is- The method herein described. of treating straw and other fibrous material, which con sists in electrolytically decomposing a solution cl chlorid of sodium in the presence of calcium hydrate, in a suitable tank, the re- IOC 2 I I l -16,139

5111mm Bin -aoifimn 0! 151560111 "btj $11k @Wng the qmabmb nedmaibm by. sodium, hypmhibflteof calcium and chl'qrid drate, and reinforcingit with frsh-ehhfid of sodium, afldmneonilfi ixdcaficiuzh hydrate', of sodium and repeating the operation.

then allowing .the calcium'hydrate to settle GOLDSBUBY HARDEN POND. and drawing-ulfthe said ablation, heating it Witnesses: "j and subjectih the jstraw joits 'actiom-lthe'n WALTON B; WHITNEY, returning saiisdiutiun decomposin M. C. SAWTELLE. 

